Let me in
by abiholmes97
Summary: Jess is all alone. Her mom is in rehab and her mom's boyfriend is slowly becoming more distant. Rossi won't talk to Jess about what is going on and she feels like she is fighting a losing battle. Focused around 'Profiling 101' from Season 7. I own nothing.


So, let me paint the scene.

My mom is in rehab. She has been for the past 6 months. I have been living with her boyfriend and fellow BAU agent, David Rossi. Initially, I thought it was a good idea. You know, I'd be bonding with Mom's boyfriend, we'd get to know each other properly. I mean, I've known Dave all my life, having grown up in the BAU, but this would be different. (I didn't know at this point that Dave was my Dad). Things were going really well. Really well. We were getting on easily and he could make me laugh. He would take me to and from school. When he wasn't working, we'd try and have dinner together. Man, he could cook. I knew I liked Italian food but after spending a few months with Rossi, I _loved_ Italian food. My favourite dish of his was Spaghetti Carbonara.

But then something changed. I don't know if it was me, but Rossi started to become more distant. I was getting excited because it was coming up to his birthday and I wanted to do something special. He took me in when he didn't really have to. I mean, him and my mom weren't exactly official, but he still gave me a room in his house. So, to thank him, I wanted to do something nice for him. I had some money from my allowance that mom gave me, and I also took a couple of shifts at the local bookstore because I love books. So, I had been saving up to take Dave to his favourite restaurant in D.C just because I felt like he deserved it. But I felt that I should run it by him first.

We were sat at the dinner table the week before his birthday, enjoying his homemade lasagna. It was quiet but that wasn't unusual. Sometimes, we could talk for hours, others we just enjoyed each other's company.

"Hey Dave?" I asked, breaking the silence.

He looked up, "Yeah, kiddo?"

"I was wondering whether you'd like to eat out next week?"

He looked at me, "Why?"

I paused, trying to get my words right. "I just thought it would be nice, for a change."

He didn't respond.

I sighed, "Look, I want to do something nice for you, for your birthday. You gave me a place to live for these past 6 months when you didn't have to, and I just thought…"

"Jess, that's really nice of you and everything but…" He faltered.

I looked down at my plate. "Some other time?"

Dave put his fork down and placed his hand on mine. "Jess, it's a really nice thought and I really appreciate it but… I don't know how to explain it."

"How about I make some coffee and we can talk about it?" I offered.

Dave shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it, not right now. One day, you'll understand."

I took a mouthful of salad. The rest of the meal continued in silence. I cleared and washed the dishes while Dave went and sat in his study. I took that as my que to leave him alone, so I spread my books out on the table and got on with some school work.

Around ten in the evening, I packed my bag for the next day and switched the lights off. I made my way to the stairs past the study. Dave was still in there, looking at his computer screen dejectively. He looked so lost, sad even. But he had put up the barriers and I was scared to break them. But I wanted to say goodnight.

I knocked on the side of the door. He looked up.

"I'm heading to bed, so I thought I would say goodnight."

He smiled, "I didn't realise it was that late."

I smiled back at him, "Writers block?" I asked. Dad was working on his next book in between working on cases and looking after me.

He shook his head, "I owed a favor to a friend and she cashed it in. I was just looking at the email."

I walked in, "What's the favor? I asked, curiously.

"She wants me to guest lecture at Georgetown University to the psychology and law majors."

"That's cool!" I replied.

"Yeah, I'm going to run it past Hotch in the morning and see if I can get the team involved."

"That sounds like a plan. What does she want you to lecture on?"

"She just said to pick a case and walk the kids through how we got to the outcome of the case, explaining terminology and stuff along the way." He looked back at the screen.

"Have you picked a case yet?" I asked, not wanting to push it.

"I have one in mind, but it's difficult."

I nodded, "Most of the case you deal with are difficult, that's why they call you guys!"

He smiled, "This one's different though."

"Different how?"

"Hmm?" he looked up at me, "I thought you said you were going to bed?"

"I was," I replied, a little taken aback, "I mean, I am. Goodnight Dave."

"Night Jess, sleep well." He replied, and I left him to it.

The morning of the lecture arrived. It also happened to be Dave's birthday. Seeing as he didn't want to go out after the lecture, I made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and put on a pot of coffee. Dave wandered into the kitchen around 7.30.

"Smells good, kiddo!" he said, heading straight for the coffee pot. He looked tired, as if he hadn't slept that night.

"Thanks!" I replied. "Your pancakes are on the table."

I grabbed my coffee and pancakes and headed over to the table myself. I grabbed my book from out of my back and opened it to where I left off. Dave joined me moments later and sat next to me.

"What are you reading this time?" he asked, smiling. "I swear you'll end up like Reid before you know it!"

I smiled, "Spence actually lent me the book." I said, showing him the cover.

"'Beyond Good and Evil' Sounds cheerful!" he said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

I smiled in response and took a mouthful of pancake.

Dave looked at his plate and smiled, "These look so good, Jess!"

"Thanks. Penelope showed me how to make them when I was round last time you guys had a case."

Dave smiled and began to eat his pancakes.

I reached into my bag again. "Hey, Dave?"

"Yeah?"

I sighed, "I got you a card… for your birthday I mean…" and I handed him the card.

He smiled, touched by the gesture. "Thanks kiddo."

"Your welcome." And we went back to eating our pancakes.

I made my own way to school that morning, seeing as Dave had to be at the college early to set up. He hadn't opened my card, instead promising to open it when he got in. He had seemed a little off, but that could have been due to the amount of sleep he had last night. It can't have been because of the lecture. He was David Rossi, author extraordinaire! He had given guest talks and public lectures for years, especially when he was retired. I had seen most of them, you could get them on YouTube easily. But still, he had seemed off.

School was good. Ashley set me off in a giggle fit during History and I outran the boys during gym. Seeing as gym was last, I walked to Lily's in my gym kit. Lily asked me round to go over our presentation for biology. We got through the presentation in between school gossip and debating how long her mom's current boyfriend would last. Her mom dropped me back at Rossi's house in Potomac Heights to save me getting the bus. I was surprised to see that the drive was empty, but I got out and headed in anyway. It was around 8 in the evening now and the sun was beginning to set. I let myself in and shut the door.

The house was deadly silent. I switched the light on in the main room and looked around. Dave wasn't in. I guess he had gone into the office to do some casework to save having to bring it home. I switched the light in the kitchen on and set myself up at the counter to do some homework. I was just about to phone Spencer to ask him a question about my physics work when I heard the latch on the door go. I jumped and paused my music. I then got up from the side and walked towards the porch. I sighed in relief.

"Dave, you scared me!"

He didn't reply, he just walked past me and headed to the bar. He poured himself a scotch and sat in the armchair. I shook my head and followed him.

"How did the lecture go?" I asked, perching on the arm of the sofa.

"Oh, it was fine." He replied, absent mindedly and he downed the scotch.

"That's good then. How's…"

"Jessica, if you don't mind, I would like to be left alone!" he snapped.

I paused, stunned.

He sighed, "Jess, I didn't…"

"No, its fine." I said, getting up and grabbing my books, "I've got some reading I need to do before tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning."

"Jessie…" he pleaded.

"But just so you know, Dave, you've not been yourself for a while. I don't know what's going on and I respect that you don't want to tell me about it, but please don't shut me out. My mom is in rehab, I don't know how much longer for. You are the closest thing I have to a parent in my life right now, so please, don't leave me out in the cold. I'm here for you, Dave, 'cause you were there for me. But, I will leave you alone tonight." And I walked off.

I sat in my room, reading Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' for a while before switching the light off and settling down around 11. I stayed awake for a while, trying to see if I could hear Dave come up the stairs. And then just as I was nodding off, I heard footfall on the stairs and my bedroom door creaked open. I quickly shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep. Footsteps padded around to the side of my bed. Part of me began to panic, Jason used to come into my bedroom at night and then I remembered that Jason didn't know I was staying at Dave's and I was safe. Dave paused and then sat on the edge of my bed.

"Jess?" he asked, seeing if I was awake. I lay still and focused on breathing. He sighed. "Jess, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I had no right to, you were just asking about my day and I shouldn't have snapped. I'm sorry." He went quiet again. I could hear him breathing shallowly as if he was silently crying. "I guess your mom hasn't got around to talking about my birthday with you yet. I love that you want to celebrate it and I am grateful that you wanted to take me out to thank me, but I don't celebrate my birthday. I can't justify celebrating it now. And I promise that I will explain soon." He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and chuckled softly. "You know, it's odd, but you look exactly like my sister, Andrea, does when she slept when she was your age." He got up. "Thank you for my card, Jess, it was lovely." He kissed the top of my head, "Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning." The footsteps padded back over to the door.

"Love you, Dave." I said, muffled.

Dave paused, "I love you too, kid."

THE END


End file.
